1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tuner receiving system, a control unit for receiving radio waves by using a tuner, a storage medium which can be read by using a computer, and a method of receiving radio waves by using a tuner, in which a signal sent out from a communication interface unit is processed and data such as images and sounds are output in the case in which a communication is established between a tuner unit, such as a tuner box, for receiving radio waves, such as color television broadcasting waves, sent from an external source and a communication interface unit, such as a capture card, connected to the tuner unit.
In recent years, various tuner receiving systems have been almost established for personal computers, in which an arbitrary signal sent from an external television system (usually called a TV system) is received by a tuner, and video data and audio data can be output. Some of such tuner receiving systems operate in such a manner that video and audio signals from external sources are input by connecting a detachable capture card to the main part of a personal computer. A tuner exclusively for each of the above tuner receiving systems is available, which can be connected to the capture card, via a video signal input terminal and an audio signal input terminal that are disposed in the tuner for connecting the tuner to the capture card. A tuner box having this tuner built therein is controlled by the above capture card. It should be noted that the specifications of the tuner built in the tuner box are usually fixed. However, a video/audio input system using the capture card is required to meet various needs, and also the tuner is required to meet various requirements including the specifications corresponding to overseas broadcast, in spite of the above fact.
2. Description of the Related Art
The exclusive tuner connected to the capture card included in a conventional tuner receiving system is controlled by the use of a control signal (such as a serial control signal) sent from the capture card connected to the tuner, and operations of the tuner are also controlled by this control signal.
For reference, lists of receiving frequencies for Japanese channels, U.S. channels, the U.S. channels for CATV (cable television), European channels, European channels for CATV and Chinese channels are shown in Tables 1 to 6 mentioned below.
TABLE 1List of Receiving Frequencies in Japanese ChannelsLocalLocalVideoAudioOscil-VideoAudioOscil-CHCentralFreq.Freq.Freq.lationImageCHCentralFreq.Freq.Freq.lationImageNo.Freq.RangefpfsfoscFreq.No.Freq.RangefpfsfoscFreq.1 9390-96 91.25 95.75150208.7532587584-590585.25589.75644702.752 99 96-102 97.25101.75156214.7533593590-596591.25595.75650708.753105102-108103.25107.75162220.7534599596-602597.25601.75656714.754173170-176171.25175.75230288.7535605602-608603.25607.75662720.755179176-182177.25181.75236294.7536611608-614609.25613.75668726.756185182-188183.25187.75242300.7537627614-620615.25619.75674732.757191188-194189.25193.75248306.7538623620-626621.25625.75680738.758195192-198193.25197.75252310.7539629626-632627.25631.75686744.7524539536-542537.25541.75596654.7555725722-728723.25727.75782840.7525545542-548543.25547.75602660.7556731728-734729.25733.75788846.7526551548-554549.25553.75608666.7557737734-740735.25739.75794852.7527557554-560555.25559.75614672.7558743740-746741.25745.75880858.7528563560-566561.25565.75620678.7559749746-752747.25751.75806864.7529569566-572567.25571.75626684.7560755752-758753.25757.75812870.7530575572-578573.25577.75632690.7561761758-764759.25763.75818876.7531581578-584579.25583.75638696.7562767764-770765.25769.75824882.75Unit: MHz Audio IF: 54.25 MHz Video IF: 58.75 MHz 
TABLE 2List of Receiving Freguencies in U.S. ChannelsLocalLocalVideoAudioOscil-VideoAudioOscil-CHCentralFreq.Freq.Freq.lationImageCHCentralFreq.Freq.Freq.lationImageNo.Freq.RangefpfsfoscFreq.No.Freq.RangefpfsfoscFreq.25754-6055.2559.75101146.7543647644-650645.25649.75691736.7536360-6661.2565.75107152.7544653650-656651.25655.75697742.7546966-7267.2571.75113158.7545659656-662657.25661.75703748.7557976-8277.2581.75123168.7546665662-668663.25667.75709754.7568582-8883.2587.75129174.7547671668-674669.25673.75715760.757177174-180175.25179.75221266.7548677674-680675.25679.75721766.758183180-186181.25185.75227272.7549683680-686681.25685.75727772.759189186-192187.25191.75233278.7550689686-692687.25691.75733778.7535599596-602597.25601.75643688.7576845842-848843.25847.75889934.7536605602-608603.25607.75649694.7577851848-854849.25853.75895940.7537611608-614609.25613.75655700.7578857854-860855.25859.75901946.7538617614-620615.25619.75661706.7579863860-866861.25865.75907952.7539623620-626621.25625.75667712.7580869866-872867.25871.75913958.7540629626-632627.25631.75673718.7581875872-878873.25877.75919964.7541635632-638633.25637.75679724.7582881878-884879.25883.75925970.7542641638-644639.25643.75685730.7583887884-890885.25889.75931976.75Unit: MHZ Audio IF: 41.25 MHz Video IF: 45.75 MHz 
TABLE 3List of Receiving Frequencies in U.S. Channels for CATVLocalLocalVideoAudioOscil-VideoAudioOscil-CHCentralFreq.Freq.Freq.lationImageCHCentralFreq.Freq.Freq.lationImageNo.Freq.RangefpfsfoscFreq.No.Freq.RangefpfsfoscFreq.25754-6055.2559.75101146.75R267264-270265.25269.75311356.7536360-6661.2565.75107152.75S273270-276271.25275.75317362.7546966-7267.2571.75113158.75T279276-282277.25281.75323368.7557976-8277.2581.75123168.75U285282-288283.25287.75329374.7568582-8883.2587.75129174.75V291288-294289.25293.75335380.75A-68784-9085.2589.75131176.75W297294-300295.25299.75341386.75A-59390-9691.2595.75137182.75W + 1 303300-306301.25305.75347392.75A-499 96-10297.25101.75143188.75W + 2 309306-312307.25311.75353398.75J219216-222217.25221.75263308.75W + 22429426-432427.25431.75473518.75K225222-228223.25227.75269314.75W + 23435432-438433.25437.75479524.75L231228-234229.25233.75275320.75W + 24441438-444439.25443.75485530.75M237234-240235.25239.75281326.75W + 25447444-450445.25449.75491536.75N243240-246241.25245.75287332.75W + 26453450-456451.25455.75497542.75O249246-252247.25251.75293338.75W + 27459456-462457.25461.75503548.75P255252-258253.25257.75299344.75W + 28465462-468463.25467.75509554.75Q261258-264259.25263.75305350.75W + 29471468-474469.25473.75515560.75Unit: MHz Audio IF: 41.25 MHz Video IF: 45.75 MHz 
TABLE 4 List of Receiving Frequencies in European (German) ChannelsLocalLocalVideoAudioOscil-VideoAudioOscil-CHCentralFreq.Freq.Freq.lationImageCHCentralFreq.Freq.Freq.lationImageNo.Freq.RangefpfsfoscFreq.No.Freq.RangefpfsfoscFreq.250.547-5448.2553.7587.15126.0540626622-630623.25628.75662.15701.05357.554-6155.2560.7594.15133.0541634630-638631.25636.75670.15709.05464.561-6862.2567.75101.15140.0542642638-646639.25644.75678.15717.055177.5174-181175.25180.75214.15253.0543650646-654647.25652.75686.15725.056184.5181-188182.25187.75221.15260.0544658654-662655.25660.75694.15733.057191.5188-195189.25194.75228.15267.0545666662-670663.25668.75702.15741.058198.5195-202196.25201.75235.15274.0546674670-678671.25676.75710.15749.059205.5202-209203.25208.75242.15281.0547682678-686679.25684.75718.15757.0532562558-566559.25564.75598.15637.0562802798-806799.25804.75838.15877.0533570566-574567.25572.75606.15645.0563810806-814807.25812.75846.15885.0534578574-582575.25580.75614.15653.0564818814-822815.25820.75854.15893.0535586582-590583.25588.75622.15661.0565826822-830823.25828.75862.15901.0536594590-598591.25596.75630.15669.0566834830-838831.25836.75870.15909.0537602598-606599.25604.75638.15677.0567842838-846839.25844.75878.15917.0538610606-614607.25612.75646.15685.0568850846-854847.25852.75886.15925.0539618614-622615.25620.75654.15693.0569858854-862855.25860.75894.15933.05Unit: MHz Audio IF: 33.4 MHz Video IF: 38.9 MHz 
TABLE 5List of Receiving Frequencies in European (German) Channels for CATVLocalLocalVideoAudioOscil-VideoAudioOscil-CHCentralFreq.Freq.Freq.lationImageCHCentralFreq.Freq.Freq.lationImageNo.Freq.RangefpfsfoscFreq.No.Freq.RangefpfsfoscFreq.E250.547-5448.2553.7587.15126.05S15261.5258-265259.25264.75298.15337.05E357.554-6155.2560.7594.15133.05S16268.5265-272266.25271.75305.15344.05E464.561-6862.2567.75101.15140.05S17275.5272-279273.25278.75312.15351.05X71.568-7569.2574.75108.15147.05S18282.5279-286280.25285.75319.15358.05Y78.575-8276.2581.75115.15154.05S19289.5286-293287.25292.75326.15365.05Z85.582-8983.2588.75122.15161.05S20296.5293-300294.25299.75333.15372.05S1107.5104-111105.25110.75144.15183.05S21306302-310303.25308.75342.15381.05S2114.5111-118112.25117.75151.15190.05S22314310-318311.25316.75350.15389.05E9 205.5202-209203.25208.75242.15281.05S35418414-422415.25420.75454.15493.05E10212.5209-216210.25215.75249.15288.05S36426422-430423.25428.75462.15501.05E11219.5216-223217.25222.75256.15295.05S37434430-438431.25436.75470.15509.05E12226.5223-230224.25229.75263.15302.05S38442438-446439.25444.75478.15517.05S11233.5230-237231.25236.75270.15309.05S39450446-454447.25452.75486.15525.05S12240.5237-244238.25243.75277.15316.05S40458454-462455.25460.75494.15533.05S13247.5244-251245.25250.75284.15323.05S41466462-470463.25468.75502.15541.05S14254.5251-258252.25257.75291.15330.05Unit: MHz Audio IF: 33.4 MHz Video IF: 38.9 MHz 
TABLE 6List of Receiving Frequencies in Chinese ChannelsLocalLocalVideoAudioOscil-VideoAudioOscil-CHCentralFreq.Freq.Freq.lationImageCHCentralFreq.Freq.Freq.lationImageNo.Freq.RangefpfsfoscFreq.No.Freq.RangefpfsfoscFreq.152.548.5-56.549.7556.2587.75125.7530650646-654647.25653.75685.25723.25260.556.5-64.557.7564.2595.75133.7531658654-662655.25661.75693.25731.25368.564.5-72.565.7572.25103.75141.7532666662-670663.25669.75701.25739.2548076-8477.2583.75115.25153.2533674670-678671.25677.75709.25747.2558884-9285.2591.75123.25161.2534682678-686679.25685.75717.25755.256171167-175168.75174.75206.25244.2535690686-694687.25693.75725.25763.257179175-183176.25182.75214.25252.2536698694-702695.25701.75733.25771.258187183-191184.25190.75222.25260.2537706702-710703.25709.75741.25779.2522546542-550543.25549.75581.25619.2551818814-822815.25821.75853.25891.2523554550-558551.25557.75589.25627.2552826822-830823.25829.75861.25899.2524562558-566559.25565.75597.25635.2553834830-838831.25837.75869.25907.2525610606-614607.25613.75645.25683.2554842838-846839.25845.75877.25915.2526618614-622615.25621.75653.25671.2555850846-854847.25853.75885.25923.2527626622-630623.25629.75661.25699.2556858854-862855.25861.75893.25931.2528634630-638631.25637.75669.25707.2557866862-870863.25869.75901.25939.2529642638-646639.25645.75677.25715.25Unit: MHz Audio IF: 31.5 MHz Video IF: 38.0 MHz 
Tables 1 to 6 describe the receiving frequencies including the central frequency, the frequency range of each channel number, the video frequency fp, the audio frequency fs, the local oscillation frequency fosc, the image frequency and the like, which are capable of normally receiving various radio waves of various channel numbers broadcast in Japan and abroad. Further, the list contains the audio intermediate frequency (audio IF) and the video intermediate frequency (video IF) after frequency conversion by using the tuner for every country. In these tables, however, the receiving frequencies for a part of the channel numbers are omitted. For the Japanese channels shown in Table 1, for example, the receiving frequencies of the channel Nos. 9 to 23 (CH9 to CH23) and Nos. 40 to 54 (CH40 to CH54) are not mentioned.
Furthermore, lists of color TV systems for every country in the principal parts of Asia, the principal parts of North and South Americas and the principal parts of Europe are shown in Tables 7 to 9, and a detailed list of color TV broadcast systems described in Tables 7 to 9 is shown in Table 10.
TABLE 7List of Color TV Systems for Every Countryin the Principal Parts of AsiaSystemCountryVHFUHFColorChannelAsiaAfghanistanBPALC.C.I.R.United ArabBPALC.C.I.R.EmiratesYemen Arab RepublicBPALC.C.I.R.IsraelBGPALC.C.I.R.IraqBSECAMC.C.I.R.Islamic Republic ofBSECAMC.C.I.R.IranIndiaBPALC.C.I.R.IndonesiaBGPALINOmanBGPALC.C.I.R.QatarBPALC.C.I.R.Republic of KoreaMMNTSCUSDemocratic CambodiaMNTSCUSDemocratic People'sDSECAMOIRTRepublic of KoreaCyprusBHPALC.C.I.R.BGKuwaitBPALC.C.I.R.Saudi ArabiaBGSECAMC.C.I.R.Syrian ArabBSECAMC.C.I.R.RepublicSingaporeBPALC.C.I.R.Sri LankaBPALC.C.I.R.ThailandBPALC.C.I.R.ChinaDDPALCHINATurkeyB(PAL)C.C.I.R.Nepal————PakistanBPALC.C.I.R.BahrainBPALC.C.I.R.BangladeshBPALC.C.I.R.BurmaMNTSCUS*PhilippinesMMNTSCUSBhutan————Viet-NamDMMalaysiaBPALC.C.I.R.BruneiBPALC.C.I.R.Hong KongIPALUKMacao————TaiwanMNTSCUSJapanMMNTSCJAPAN*Presumed Channels 
TABLE 8List of Color TV Systems for Every Countryin the Principal Parts of North and South AmericaSystemCountryVHFUHFColorChannelNorth andSouth AmericaUnited States ofMMNTSCUSAmericaArgentinaNPALUSUruguayNPALUS*EquadorMNTSCUSEl SalvadorMNTSCUS*GuyanaK1NTSCF.O.T.CanadaMMNTSCUSCubaMNTSCUS*GuatemalaMNTSCUSGrenada————Costa RicaMNTSCUSColombiaMNTSCUS*JamaicaMNTSCUSSurinamMNTSCUSSt. Vincent————Saint LuciaMNTSCUS*ChileMNTSCUSDominican RepublicMNTSCUSCommonwealth of————DominicaTrinidad and TobagoMNTSCUSNicaraguaMNTSCUSHaitiMNTSCUS*PanamaMNTSCUSBahamasMNTSCUS*ParaguayN?US*BarbadosMNTSCUSBrazilMMPALUSVenezuelaMNTSCUSPeruMNTSCUSBoliviaNPALUSHondurasMNTSCUSMexicoMMNTSCUS*Presumed Channels 
TABLE 9List of Color TV Systems for Every Countryin the Principal Parts of EuropeSystemCountryVHFUHFColorChannelEuropeIcelandBPALC.C.I.R.IrelandAIPALIRIAlbaniaBPALIT*AndorraUnited KingdomAIPALUKItalyBGPALITAustriaBGPALC.C.I.R.NetherlandsBGPALC.C.I.R.GreeceBGSECAMC.C.I.R.San MarinoBGPALITSwitzerlandBGPALC.C.I.R.SwedenBGPALC.C.I.R.SpainBGPALC.C.I.R.C.I.S.(Formally U.S.S.R.)DKSECAMOIRTCzecho SlovakiaDKSECAMOIRTDenmarkBGPALC.C.I.R.Federal Republic ofBGPALC.C.I.R.GermanyNorwayBGPALC.C.I.R.Vatican City State————HungaryDKSECAMOIRTFinlandBGPALC.C.I.R.FranceELSECAMFLBulgariaDKSECAMOIRTBelgiumBHPALC.C.I.R.PolandDKSECAMOIRTPortugalBGPALC.C.I.R.*MaltaBPALC.C.I.R.Principality ofGLSECAMC.C.I.R.MonacoGPALYugoslaviaBGPALC.C.I.R.Liechtenstein————Grand Duchy ofCLSECAMC.C.I.R.*LuxemburgGPALRumaniaDDOIRT*presumed Channels 
TABLE 10Detailed List of Color TV Broadcast SystemsPopular Name ofUKCHC.C.I.R.C.C.I.R.LuxemburgOIRTOIRTBroadcasting(VHF)CH (1)CH (2)CH (VHF)CH (1)CH (2)SystemsStandardABG.HCDK, K1BroadcastingSystemAudio ModulationA3F3 (±50 kHz)F3 (±50 kHz)A3F3 (±50 kHz)F3 (±50 kHz)Systemfs-fp Band Width−3.5 MHz+5.5 MHz+5.5 MHz+5.5 MHz+6.5 MHz+6.5 MHzChannel Band5.0 MHz7.0 MHz8.0 MHz7.0 MHz8.0 MHz8.0 MHzWidthNumber of405 Poles625 Poles625 Poles625 Poles625 Poles625 PolesScanning LinesPopular Name ofOld FrenchFrenchUS or JAPArgentinaIrelandOld LuxemburgBroadcastingCH (VHF)CHCHCHCHCH (VHF)SystemsStandardELMNIFBroadcastingSystemAudio ModulationA3A3F3 (±25 kHz)F3 (±25 kHz)F3 (±50 kHz)A3Systemfs-fp Band Width±11.15 MHz+6.5 MHz+4.5 MHz+4.5 MHz+6 MHz+5.5 MHzChannel Band14.0 MHz8.0 MHz6.0 MHz6.0 MHz8.0 MHz7.0 MHzWidthNumber of819 Poles625 Poles525 Poles625 Poles625 Poles819 PolesScanning LinesNote: UK VHF Channel is included in Ireland channel 
In Tables 7 to 9, the standard frequency range used in the VHF and UHF areas are described in symbols A, B, C, . . . , L, M, etc. for every country. These symbols are indicated according to JCS (Japanese Cable Maker's Association Standard), and the frequency range becomes higher regarding A, B, C and so forth in that order.
Further, in Tables 7 to 9, the color output video systems and the channel broadcast systems for the color TV system are described in abbreviation or symbols for every country. Abbreviations for the representative color output video systems include PAL (Phase Alteration by Line) employed in Great Britain, Germany, China, etc., NTSC (National Television System Committee) employed in Japan, United States, etc. and SECAM (Sequential Couleur a Memoire) employed in France, C.I.S. (the Commonwealth of Independent States; formally the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)), etc.
On the other hand, detailed specifications of the representative channel broadcast systems (i.e. the color TV broadcast systems) in Tables 7 to 9 are described in Table 10. As shown in Table 10, representative channel broadcast systems include the commercial broadcast and the public broadcast systems of Great Britain (UKCH), the broadcast system based on C.C.I.R. (Comite Consultatif International des Radio Communications (C.C.I.R.C.H)), the broadcast system based on OIRT (Organization Internationale Radiodiffusion et de Television (OIRT CH)), the old public broadcast system of France (Old French CH), the present public broadcast system of France (French CH), the old commercial broadcast system of Luxemburg (Old Luxemburg CH), the present commercial broadcast system of Luxemburg (Luxemburg CH), the commercial and public broadcast systems in the United States (USCH), the commercial and public broadcast systems in Japan (Japan CH), the national broadcast system of Argentine (Argentina CH) and the public broadcast system of Ireland (Ireland CH).
Further, Table 10 shows the frequency range used for the standard broadcast system, the frequency range used for the audio modulation system, the fs-fp band width between the audio frequency fs and the video frequency fp, the channel band width and the number of scanning lines for each channel system.
As is apparent from the list of receiving frequencies of the channels for every country shown in Tables 1 to 6, a multiplicity of channels exist for the tuner to receive in different countries. The central frequency, the frequency range, the video frequency fp, the audio frequency fs, the local oscillation frequency fosc and the image frequency, which can normally receive the radio waves are varied from one channel number to another of the receiving stations corresponding to each channel. The reason is that, as seen from the list of the color TV systems for every country shown in Tables 7 to 9 and the detailed list of the color TV broadcast systems shown in Table 10, different countries employ different color output video systems for the receiver (NTSC system for Japan and U.S., and PAL system for Great Britain, Germany and China, for example), different standard broadcast systems, different audio modulation systems, different channel band width, different video band width (fs-fp band width) and different numbers of scanning lines. As a result, the tuner specifications vary from one country to another, with the result that each country uses a different tuner specification.
As a first concrete example related to the conventional tuner receiving system, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 6-46427 (published on Feb. 18, 1994) discloses a global tuning control system which is capable of automatic tuning and automatic presetting by using the FS (Frequency Synthesizer) system. In a receiving system, such as a VTR (Video Tape Recorder), using the global tuning control system as described above, the tuning control unit sends out a command as digital data to the electronic tuner unit to receive the reference frequency of each TV channel, which has been stored in advance as data in a ROM (Read-Only Memory), in accordance with the destination and the like. After that, the electronic tuner unit receives the radio wave of the channel frequency based on the particular command.
Further, the tuning control unit monitors and recognizes the signal indicating the presence or absence of the video signal from the video signal processing unit and the tuning discrimination signal from the electronic tuner unit described above, so as to attain just automatic tuning. According to this configuration, however, the reference frequency of each TV channel is stored in the form of ROM data, for example, corresponding to the destination. In the case in which the VTR, etc. is moved from one country to another country, for example, from Japan to China, the ROM data in the two countries becomes different from each other. Therefore, it becomes impossible for the tuning control unit and the electronic tuner unit to meet the above inconvenience successfully. In view of the fact that the tuning control unit and the electronic tuner unit try to receive the radio wave of a channel frequency based on the ROM data according to the Japanese specifications, however, these units continue a detection operation of the channel frequency in the state that the radio wave cannot be received normally and therefore, cannot recognize the areas in which the above inconvenience cannot be solved by these units. As a measure against this inconvenience, it is absolutely necessary to prepare ROM data for every country in advance.
As a second concrete example relating to the conventional tuner receiving system, a configuration of a receiving system is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-39970 (published on Feb. 13, 1998) and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-39971 (published on Feb. 13, 1998), in which the receiving unit including a tuner and an extension board can be separated from each other. This configuration can readily and rapidly deal with the difference of the broadcast type, the broadcast system and the like, by replacing the present receiving unit with the other one suitable for the broadcast type, such as the terrestrial broadcast, the satellite broadcast or satellite communication, or CATV.
This configuration, however, merely describes the receiving unit including the tuner and also a technique for receiving images sent out from the receiving unit by using the main body of a personal computer. In other words, the personal computer per se (usually indicating the main part of the personal computer) is incapable of discriminating the type of the receiving unit. The personal computer, though capable of controlling the tuner, cannot discriminate the type of the tuner in the case in which the user intends to use the tuner overseas. In the case in which the tuner is changed to receive an overseas broadcast, therefore, an input video reproduction application program and an input audio reproduction application program for controlling the tuner are required to be reinstalled in the personal computer.
With the conventional receiving system in which the TV video and audio signals are received by the personal computer by the use of the capture card built therein as in the second concrete example described above, the tuner built in the receiving unit cannot be recognized by the personal computer in the case in which it is used overseas in spite of the fact that the particular personal computer, the capture card and the receiving unit are configured to receive the overseas broadcast. Thus, the personal computer fails to recognize that the overseas channel number is different from the domestic channel number and a normal control operation becomes impossible. In the case in which the receiving system for domestic use is used overseas, therefore, the problem occurs in that the input video reproduction application program and the input audio reproduction application program for controlling the tuner must be reinstalled.